Circuit Jerk

Operation Anchorage

Many feel that Operation Anchorage is the weakest of the Fallout expansions (as I write this, the forth expansion is due out next week) because of its length and depth. Although, both of those complaints are fairly valid, I think this expansion is welcome relief. That’s right internet, once again Dan doesn’t agree with your predictable rants and nerd rage.

Finding the way to the Outcast base is a pain in the butt very reminiscent to your arrival at Galaxy News Radio. Trigger happy super mutants spray gaiting guns and swing super-sledges at you and the Brotherhood Outcasts. Only one Outcast member survived with me, but when I say with me I mean he only survived because he sprinted through the fray abandoning me to take on all of the super mutants with limited ammo and tiring trigger fingers.

After clearing a few bomb cratered buildings, I found the fortress of the outcasts.

Most of them were cold to me, but their leader did ask a favor. I had a pip-boy. They had a locked armory. The only way to open that lock was to enter a simulation and beat it. They couldn’t enter the simulation because none of them had pip-boys.

So in I go to relive the heroic liberation of Anchorage Alaska from those commie Chinese.

There was classic Bethesda humor. Often there were choices for your character to acknowledge that this is a simulation, but the other A.I. characters don’t understand and often treads the line of robot voiced “DOES NOT COMPUTE!”

Then there’s the actual game play itself. You’re presented with challenges we’ve all faced in games before. Blow up the giant guns that are keeping our men pinned. Blow up the fuel depot. Kill the leader of the enemy. Essentially the game turns into a traditional first person war shooter. Why do I like this? Because this is that war shooter with the Fallout rules. I can still use Vats. I still have my sweet perks. I still have my skills. It creates a completely different experience than what you would run into on something like Rainbow Six or Call of Duty. It takes just enough realism out of the war simulation.

Then there’s the setting. I played The Pitt before I played Operation Anchorage. The Pitt might as well have been any point in the D.C. wasteland. Anchorage was a snow covered, non-nuked military complex. It was like stumbling upon Oasis in the wasteland again. It’s something so different from what you’re used to that it stimulates your smile muscles.

There are only a few weapons that are added during this campaign. One of which is an electric sword, a surprisingly tame version of the Shish Kabob you can build. The real pride and joy is the Gause Gun which fires beams of energy that do 80+ damage upon impact and also has a scope for long range killings.. This has quickly turned into my go-to weapon while roaming the wasteland.

I will admit the expansion was a little too short for my liking. I did spend 800 Microsoft Space Bucks on it and felt like I only got about 300 points worth of enjoyment. Then again, these are the people that sold us horse armor so I should feel grateful that I didn’t just get a gold plated pistol or something. Right now you can pick this expansion up for 30% off on live or buy the first three expansions for something like $25 for the hard disk. Those prices just about make this expansion worth it. My suggestion if you haven’t bought it, wait for the next two expansions to come out and pick up the fiver deal on Steam.